Returning Home
by Katy Jane 13
Summary: After three years away from Port Charles Sam McCall has come back to visit her family, but when she gets there she finds more that she bargained for.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: One Cold November Morning

Jason Morgan awoke to the high pitch shrill of his alarm clock. He seldom used the horrid device but today he had to be up early. Normally Jason's work kept him out late so he slept in, but not this morning. He had an order to be picked up downtown and then had a meeting that there was no way he was going to miss. He hadn't missed this meeting in the past six years and he wasn't about to start today.

Jason walked down the stairs of his pent house. The entire place was dark just as it had been every morning for the past three years. He had lived in the same apartment for many years and was still shocked at how empty the place felt. He hadn't lived with anyone since he and Sam had parted ways and this apartment was never the same. She had made it a home and it hadn't felt like one since she left. He stumbled into the kitchen thinking about making some breakfast but knew that today coffee would be best. Looking at the empty kitchen he remembered all those burnt meals and the subsequent take out. Sam had never been a good cook and he only knew how to make a few dishes himself. They had often spent their nights eating dinner in the living room at the coffee table. They were not the kind of couple that sat down to the perfect meal in the dining room. They preferred a more casual atmosphere. Jason knew that this was not the case for most couples but it had worked for them.

Shocked at the memories that were flowing through his mind Jason shook his head and forced them out. It had been a long time since he and Sam had cared for each other. OK that wasn't true. Jason knew that despite all the bad things that happened between them he still cared for Sam, deep down he still loved her. That's what made today especially hard.

Jason needed to snap himself back into the present so he got dressed, grabbed his keys of the desk, slipped on his leather jacket and headed out the door. He was leaving a little earlier than he had planned but he could not stand to be in the apartment with all the memories that were flowing through his mind. Being outside would be much better there weren't as many intimate memories to relive out in public. He and Sam had also shared bad times in that apartment but the good far outweighed the bad. There were many things that had been said and done between them that weren't good for either of them. He had forgiven Sam for everything that she had done but he knew that there was no way she was going to forgive him.

The cold November air hit Jason Morgan's lungs like a splash of cold water. It was just what he needed. It was just the shock his system needed to wash away the memories he had been reliving. But this relief was only for a short time. As soon as he became accustomed to the cool November air all the memories came flooding back. He wanted to get rid of all these memories for good but there was no way that was going to happen so he decided it would be best to spend the today alone.

As he walked down the street his cell phone rang. Looking at the caller ID he noticed that it was Sonny Corinthos. He sighed at the sight of the name, this was the last thing he needed to day. Jason had worked for Sonny for a long time and knew that if Sonny was calling this early in the morning it was probably important. Jason sighed one last time and answered the phone.

"Hello" Jason said

"Jason, we have a situation on the docks. I need you to go down and take care of it immediately." Sonny said in the commanding tone he often had.

"Sonny I told you that I wasn't working today. You will have to have somebody else handle it. Get one of the lieutenants to take care of it."

"Come on Jason what could be so important that you can't take care of this."

"Sonny if you can't figure out the answer to that question then this conversation is over." Jason hung up the phone and continued his walk. It never ceased to amaze Jason at how selfish Sonny could be. No matter what the circumstances it was always about Sonny. Well that wasn't the case today. Jason had not worked on this day for the past six years and he wasn't about to start today.

Jason had reached his first stop. The small shop he now stood in front of was not one he normally visited. He hesitated before he reached for the door. This was the kind of shop he very rarely stepped foot into. Even if he needed to purchase something from this type of store he sent Max or Milo. This was just not something he did in person. But this situation was different. This was personal and called for his attention and not that of anyone else. Earlier that week Jason had called the shop owner and made arrangements to stop by this morning and pick up an order.

"Mr. Morgan, I didn't expect you so early." The shop owner said is he stepped from behind the counter.

"Why I am early is none of your business now can we please get down to business." Jason said.

"I'm sorry Mr. Morgan I did not realize that you were in such a hurry, your order is in the back just let me go get it." The shop keeper stepped in to the back room and came back out with Jason's purchase. It was a large bouquet of pink and white daisies. It was the same purchase he made the past six years and the same one he would continue to make for the rest of his life.

Jason handed the man a fifty and told him to keep the change. The shop keeper looked bewildered but knew better that to argue with him. Jason left the small shop and walked down the street he was now ready for the visit that he was sure would not make him feel any better but that he knew he had to make.

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It had been three years since Sam McCall had stepped foot in Port Charles and she was unsure whether she really wanted to be going back. She was only back because her sisters had begged her to come and see them for a change. It was not easy to convince Sam to do anything she didn't want to but she had a soft spot when it came to her sisters. She did not intend to make the stay permanent but she missed the family that she had left and knew that sooner or later she would have to face the demons she left behind.

The past three years had been good for Sam. After leaving Port Charles she took the time to focus on herself rather than the other people around her. Yes that may sound a little selfish but Sam knew that was exactly what she needed. She needed the time and space to confront the wrongs that she had done and to try and be at peace with everything that had gone wrong in her life. After taking a little time to reorganize herself she got back into the salvage business. She had stuck to work on the gulf coast because it kept her far away from Port Charles. She did not make a lot of money but she had managed to purchase a modest house and did not have to worry about paying the bills. She loved what she did so money didn't make a difference.

When she left Port Charles the one relationship she thought would last had ended. Her and Jason had both made mistakes and pushed each other away. After time had passed Sam had forgiven Jason for the way he pushed her away but she had done far worse things. She had watched his son be kidnapped and was still unsure of why she had done it. She still had not completely forgiven herself but was now able to live with what she had done. Even though she could live with it she knew that Jason would never be able to forgive her. She stressed out about seeing him the most. She hoped that this trip would not entail bumping into him. She did not want to stir up the feeling she still had for him. She had spent three years trying to forget them. That had not happened so she just buried them deeper than she thought she ever could. Seeing her mother and sisters would not be so hard because she had kept in contact with them. She had not always known her mother so she wanted to make the most of the time that they had together. She also wanted to know her sisters even if it was from a distance. They had come to visit her during the holidays and their summer vacations but up until now she had refused to come back to port Charles.

She stepped off of the plane and was unsure what to think. First off she had gotten used to the warm southern weather and the cool November air was a shock to her system and secondly she wasn't sure how the citizens of Port Charles would react when they saw her. She slipped on the coat she carried with her and continued to walk. It was still early in the morning so there weren't many people around to notice that she was back. She thought about calling her mother and letting her know that she had landed but there was something she needed to do first, someone she desperately needed to see, someone she hadn't seen in three years.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: First Sight

Jason would normally have driven anywhere he was going but this morning he needed the time to think and a walk was the perfect way to do it. Any other day he would have worried that the flowers he carried gave the people of Port Charles the wrong impression, but this morning there were few people around and frankly he didn't care.

As he rounded the last corner of his journey he found himself standing in front of a small church behind this church was his destination. He always came to see Lila on this day. To him she would always be his daughter. He may not have been her biological father but that did not matter to him. He had loved her more than he could ever imagine and losing her was the worst day of his life. The only day that even compared to it was the day he lost Sam. Losing her was just as bad because he knew she was somewhere alive and well and just chose not to be with him. They had pushed each other away and Jason knew in his mind that she would never forgive him but his heart wanted something completely different.

Jason again shook his head and tried to think of something else. He did not want to feel as horrible as he did right now. He sighed and walked up the steps of the church. He always stopped in to say a little prayer before going to see Lila. It helped him clear his mind and only focus on her. The other troubles in his life would have to be set aside. This time was for his daughter and no one else.

Jason sat in the back of the church and just stared forward. Praying was not the easiest thing for him to begin with and the memories of today sometimes made it harder. The early morning light had begun to shine through the stain glassed windows illuminating the entire church. He couldn't help but think how beautiful it was. He hoped that somehow Lila was looking down on him and that she was part of that beauty. Jason got up after only a few minutes and headed back to the cemetery. This was always the hardest part of this journey.

He kneeled down next to the small headstone that he had chosen for his daughter. He swept away the fall leaves that had covered the stone and looked at the flowers that were next to the stone. Although he only came to see Lila on this day, it was all that his heart could handle. He made sure that there were always fresh flowers there. He had a standing arrangement with the same flower shop that he had gone to this morning under the condition that no one know it was him sending the flowers. He removed the old flowers and laid down the ones he had purchased this morning. He knew that Lila would have loved them, but he also knew that Sam would like them. She had not been in Port Charles in three years but he knew that she would have wanted their daughter to have a perfect resting place. He did not blame her for not coming back to Port Charles, even he wondered how he would handle the day she returned, if it ever came.

Jason stood up and looked down at Lila's grave. He did not always talk to her but he felt the urge to speak to her today.

"You know I am not very good at this but here goes." Jason started but could figure not out how to convey what he was feeling.

"Well…" he tried to start again but he just could not figure out what to say. He was thinking way to much he stopped for a minute. He stopped thinking and just let his heart do the talking.

"I loved you since you became a part of my life. I never thought that fatherhood was a possibility for me but then you came along. The day you were taken away was the worst day of my life." Jason stopped trying to think of what to say next and just spoke from his heart.

"I know that your mom has not been to see you in a long time, but it is not because she doesn't love you. She left Port Charles to take care of herself. I think it was best for her, I just wish that it wouldn't have ended the way it did; I wish it wouldn't have ended at all."

Jason stopped he had never said these things out loud; it was like he was finely admitting to himself that things had gone wrong between he and Sam. This morning he was focused on burying these feelings but every corner he turned he was thinking of her, thinking of what could have been. Jason's head was swarming with old memories and new questions. Anyone who knew Jason Morgan knew that he did not say what he was thinking. He kept everything bottled inside and now here he was spilling his guts out. He knew that today was going to be a hard day to get through but it just kept getting worse. He could not imagine anything else could happen but then it did.

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Sam McCall hadn't been to see her daughter since the day that she left Port Charles. It was one of the things that she regretted the most about leaving. She had always gone to see her and was ashamed that she could not even come to Port Charles to see Lila. She had discussed this with her mother and Alexis understood her reasons for not coming. Sam had asked Alexis to make sure that someone always went to see her, and Alexis did go to see her when she had the time. Alexis had mentioned to Sam that there were always fresh flowers by Lila's grave and Sam thanked her. Alexis could not muster up the courage to mention that she had no idea who they were from. As far as Alexis was concerned that did not matter, what mattered was the fact that they were they. This brought Sam a small amount of comfort, but she still did not like that she had not gone to see her daughter in the past three years.

That is why the first stop Sam had to make before letting anyone know that she was in Port Charles was to see Lila. She knew the way to the church. She had been there many times and since it was not a far distance from the airport she decided to walk there. It was beginning to be a beautiful morning and there was not use letting it go to waste.

When Sam got to the church she headed right back to the cemetery. The garden that was located near Lila's grave was not blooming but the beauty of the place still existed. She was very grateful that Jason had picked this spot for her daughter, their daughter. In Sam's mind and heart Jason was Lila's father and that was never going to change. She wondered whether or not Jason thought of Lila, but quickly pushed the thought out of her mind. She did not want to dwell on the fact that she and Jason had not worked out. She had always loved him and still did.

When she rounded the corner to Lila's resting place she was shocked to see someone standing there. In the early morning light she could not tell who it was but it was definitely not Alexis or her sisters. She thought maybe it was Sonny, but in the time that she was in Port Charles she did not recall an occasion that Sonny went to see Lila after the funeral. As she got closer she could hear the man talking.

"I loved you since you became a part of my life. I never thought that fatherhood was a possibility for me but then you came along. The day you were taken away was the worst day of my life."

The minute she hear d the man speak she knew who it was. Jason was standing there talking to their daughter. She was stressed enough being in the same town as him, but now here she was standing in the garden, and there he was.

As Jason continued to talk she could not bring herself to step forward and greet him. She knew Jason had never been one for sharing his feelings and now there he was bearing his soul to Lila. It was not the fact that he was there that shocked her; it was what he said next that she could not believe.

"I know that your mom has not been to see you in a long time, but it is not because she doesn't love you. She left Port Charles to take care of herself. I think it was best for her, I just wish that it wouldn't have ended the way it did; I wish it wouldn't have ended at all."

Sam's jaw just about hit the ground; the man she loved so much was admitting that he wished it had never ended. She was unsure how to react. She had spend years trying to bury the feelings she still had for Jason and now they all came bubbling to the surface like she had only left yesterday. What did this mean for them was there any way that they could find their way back to each other. Sam stopped she could not think about this. She was there to see her daughter. Sam slowly walked out from the garden and approached Lila's resting place. The fallen leaves crunched under her feet and Jason turned to see her approaching.

"Sam!" Jason said in shock, not sure if he was really looking at her and curious as to what she had heard him say.

"Jason." Sam said as she approached him.

The tension between the two was as thick as the mist that falls over the harbor on a cool spring morning. They had not spoken in three years and now they faced each other for the first time, in one of the most intimate and sacred places they had shared.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: A New Beginning

Jason wasn't sure what to say when he saw Sam standing there. It had been so long since they had been on speaking terms and now there she was. He had just said some of things his heart had been aching for someone to hear and she may have heard it all.

Sam looked into Jason's eyes and knew that seeing her was as big a shock for him as seeing him was for her. She had never expected Jason to be here and did not know how to approach him. She had spent the last three years of her life forgetting everything they had together and now here she was and it was like those three years had never happened.

As she walked up to him she couldn't help but look at those strong blue eyes. She had always loved the way that he looked at her. That had not changed with time. He looked at her with the same love that she was feeling. She didn't know what to think of this. The things she had done did not warrant his forgiveness and yet there they were looking at each other like nothing had ever happened.

There were a million thoughts running through Jason's head but the one that stuck out the most was how beautiful Sam looked. She always looked beautiful but she seemed the most radiant when she let her guard down and this was definitely one of those moments. As he looked into her eyes it was as if the past just melted away. All he saw was the strong independent woman that he had fallen in love with. It was if time had healed all of the wounds they had caused each other but they could still not muster the words to admit it.

Sam was unsure how to proceed but she knew the silence would need to be broken eventually. "I didn't know that anyone else would be here."

"I can leave if you want." Jason said unsure if he really wanted to hear the answer.

"No, you don't have to leave because of me." Sam said as she slowly approached Lila's headstone. She knelt down and touched the small letters, smiling at the flowers sitting there. "Did you bring these?" She asked Jason.

"Yes" Jason didn't know what else to say. He wanted to know why Sam was back in town but did not want to pry. All of a sudden he could sense that something had changed. He could hear Sam start to cry. He knew that she was trying to hide her tears but he knew her better than that. He knew the way her breathing changed and how she held her self different when she was upset. Jason knelt down next to Sam and placed his arm around her shoulder. He wasn't sure why he was doing it, instinct he guessed, but he knew that it felt right. She leaned into his shoulder the same way she did when they were together. They just seemed to fit together.

Jason & Sam were unsure how long they sat there but it seemed like forever. They did not need any words to understand each other. The emotions they were feeling today were enough to bind them together, even if it was for a short time. During the moments they sat by their daughters grave the past just seemed to melt away. Sam thought that this moment was perfect. That's how she knew it was not going to last. Just as she was about to speak Jason's cell phone rang.

Jason pulled away from Sam and looked at his phone. It was Sonny again. Now he really didn't want to answer. He had told Sonny not to bother him but the man just didn't seem to listen and now the day had become a little more complicated. Not only was he not celebrating his daughters six birthday, Sam was back in town and he had no idea what that meant for him.

Reluctantly he answered the phone. "Sonny I can't talk right now. I'm a little busy."

"Jason I don't care what you're doing I need you to come to the office and discuss what happened at the docks. You weren't there and now the situation may be even worse." Sonny told Jason.

"Sonny I said NO. You are just going to have to figure this out yourself." Jason hung up the phone without saying goodbye. He needed to speak to Sam and Sonny was not going to screw that up.

Jason turned back to Sam and saw that she had stopped crying. She was now sitting on the bench at the edge of the cemetery. Jason went over and sat down next to her. He wasn't sure what to say next.

"Jason, thank you for being here today. I know that I don't have the right to ask you for anything but I am glad that you're here. You would have been a wonderful father to Lila and I will always be grateful for that." Sam said before Jason had the chance to say anything. She wanted to make sure that she had spoken first; she did not want to be caught off guard even more than she already was.

"Sam you don't have to thank me. Lila was and always will be my daughter. No matter what went on between us I never stopped loving her."

Sam didn't know what to think. She counted wrap her mind around what was going on right now. When she and Jason hard parted ways they were not even on speaking terms and now here they were like nothing had ever happened. Sam realized that there was no way that this was going to last. She knew they would have to speak about what had gone wrong between them but she did not feel like this was the time or the place.

The two of them sat on that bench for a long time before either one of them spoke. Jason was about to say something when Sam started talking.

"I have to go. I told my mom I would be to her house by 9:00 and it is already 10:00 she's probably worried about me." Sam said abruptly as she got up to leave.

Just as she was getting up Jason grabbed her hand and kept her from leaving. He then stood next to her, closer than they had been in a long time.

"Can I see you tomorrow? There are some things that we need to discuss but I don't think we should talk about them today." Jason asked Sam before letting her go.

"Yes, how about tomorrow morning at Kelly's?" Sam thought that Kelly's would be the perfect spot because it was public. It would be much easier to see Jason if there were other people around.

"Fine" Jason said.

Sam left the cemetery. Her heart was racing and she had no idea if what had just happened was real or not. She desperately wanted it to be. She walked out past the church and started toward her mother's house. It was a long walk but she needed the time to think. She needed some time alone after such an overwhelming morning.

Jason sat back down on the bench. He did not know what he was going to do next. The woman he loved was back and that made his heart ache even more. They had just spent the morning in a very intimate setting and had barely said a word to each other. No that that was unusual, Jason had never been a talker, Sam just seemed to have a strange affect on him. When she was anywhere near him he felt like a different man. He had forgotten how good it felt to be in her presence. He got up to leave looked back at Lila's resting place one last time, said good bye, and thanked her. Her couldn't help but think that she had somehow brought her parents back to each other. Jason was unsure what tomorrow would bring but was thrilled at the prospect of seeing Sam again. He hoped that she somehow felt the same way.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Early Morning Angst

When Sam got to Kelly's the next morning she was shocked to find Jason already there. Kelly's was not even open yet but there Jason was sitting outside on the terrace. Sam had not slept all night thinking about what she was going to say to Jason. She knew she needed to apologize for everything that she had done but she had no idea where to begin. She was relieved when she sat down and Jason immediately began to talk.

"Sam I know that things didn't end well with us…and I just want to say that I am sorry for the way that I treated you."

"Jason you should not be the one apologizing. I did some horrible things to you and I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness. I just want you to know that I will regret that day for the rest of my life." Sam wasn't sure that the words she was saying would make a difference to Jason but they were a relief to her. All this time she had struggled with what she had done and now that she was apologizing to Jason she felt a small amount of relief.

Jason reached across the table and held Sam's hand. As he started to talk he could see the pain in her eyes. "Sam, not everything that happened was your fault. I doubted myself and that caused so much harm to both of us that I drove you away. The things I said to you were uncalled for."

Sam looked up from the spot she had been staring at in the table and looked into Jason's eyes. She could see that everything he was saying was true. The more she looked at him the more she felt like she was where she belonged. It felt right to be sitting here with him. She finally felt like she was home, which was a feeling she hadn't had in three years.

After they had both apologized for their past transgression the tension seemed to lift. They weren't the people that they used to be but they still knew each other. They knew the person behind the façade they showed the world. This was what made their relationship so easy. Sam knew that they would never get back what they had but she was glad that she and Jason could be in the same room without fighting. Jason broke the silence by asking her what he had been dying to here since he had seen her in the cemetery yesterday.

"Sam, why are you back in Port Charles?"

"Well it's pretty simple. Kristina and Molly really wanted me to come see them. They usually come to visit me but I had run out of excuses why I couldn't come here."

"I…" but before Jason could say anything someone had come up behind Sam. Sam couldn't see her but she knew who it was.

"What are you doing here?"Carly asked in the snarky tone that she always had when it came to Sam.

"I'm here visiting my family, not that it's any of your business." Sam said.

"Well I hope you aren't here long because we were much better off without you." Carly said.

Jason could feel the tension growing between Carly and Sam. Carly had never liked Sam despite how much Jason cared for her. Over the years Jason had learned to deal with her but not everybody could. Sam had always had a temper and when it came to Carly it just seemed to bubble over quicker. Sam got up from the table and started to walk away.

"Sam you don't have to leave." Jason told her.

"I think it probably is. I'll talk to you later Jason." And Sam left leaving Jason alone with Carly.

Carly sat down at the table with Jason and he knew that this was a conversation that he did not want to have. Since Carly had married Jax she had given up a lot of the crazy schemes and meddling that she was prone to but when it came to Jason nothing had changed. They had been friends for a long time and she always felt the need to protect him. When it came to relationships it was even worse. Carly had never liked the women he dated. Jason had given up on trying to change Carly but that didn't mean he had to like her meddling.

"Jason why were you talking to her?" Carly asked

"Carly I'm not going to try and explain it. Sam and I just had a lot of things to talk about."

"I never got what you saw in her, but that doesn't matter now because you've gotten over her."

Jason just sat there. He knew that no matter what he told Carly she wasn't going to like it. So he opted to sit there silent and wait for her to leave.

"Well are you going to answer me or not? Well by the silence I would bet not. Well just stay away from her she's bad news." Carly Said

"Carly, don't bad mouth Sam." Jason said. He could not take any more of her rambling.

"Oh Jason please don't tell me you still care about her."

Again Jason sat silent knowing that any reaction he would give would be the wrong one and would just make things worse. Just then Jason's cell phone range. It was the first time Sonny called today and Jason was actually glad that he was calling. Jason picked up the phone immediately.

"Jason, I need to speak to you now." Sonny said.

"O.K. I am on my way." Jason was happy to be getting away from Carly. He did not want to have to discuss Sam with her any longer. "Carly I have to go, please don't cause any problems for Sam, just leave her alone."

"Whatever." Carly scoffed clearly mad that Jason had told her to leave Sam alone.

Jason knew that if he asked Carly to leave Sam alone she would at least listen long enough for Jason to run some interference between the two. Jason then headed toward the office knowing that as soon as he got there Sonny would want to discuss the situation at the docks yesterday. Jason wasn't quite sure how this conversation was going to go. He had told Sonny to have someone else handle it yesterday and if that hadn't gone well Sonny would be irate today.

Jason got to the Coffee shop and stepped in. Sonny had an office in the back that they often met in. The coffee shop made a little money and helped them maintain the façade that they were only coffee importers. Jason saw Max, Sonny's body guard, standing outside the office.

"The Boss is ready to see you Jason. But watch out he's pretty mad about yesterday."

Now Jason knew that this conversation wasn't going to go well. Jason had been Sonny's enforcer for as long as he could remember. Jason had been living alone and did not have anywhere to go when Sonny took him under his wing. He taught him everything he knew about the business and made sure that Jason was always there to take care of whatever Sonny needed. Normally Jason didn't tell Sonny no when it was work related but yesterday had been different. Sonny may not have cared that yesterday would have been Lila's sixth birthday but Jason did and he was not about to explain that to him.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: One Final Decision

Jason walked into Sonny's office not knowing what to expect. No one had mentioned what happened at the docks so he was unsure of how bad the situation was. He had heard nothing from Sonny after the second call so obviously nothing serious had happened. As soon as Sonny turned around Jason could see the anger in his eyes. Sonny had a way of looking at people that showed he was not to be messed with. Jason sat down in front of Sonny's desk and waited for Sonny to speak. He had learned that if Sonny was mad it was best to let him talk first.

"Jason, yesterday the foreman at the docks was causing some trouble. You would have been the best man to handle it, but because I had to send Johnny we ended up paying the foreman twice as much as he deserved. Normally I can count on you to do what I ask but not yesterday. What was the problem?" Sonny calmly said. Jason still didn't want to explain and stayed silent knowing that eventually Sonny would give in and talk about something else.

Sonny just stared at Jason, he wanted to know what was going on but when it came to Jason sometimes it was better not to push the subject. Jason had never had a bad temper but when it came to sensitive subjects Jason seemed to bottle things up and he could be hard to deal with.

"Sonny I told you this yesterday, if you can't figure out why I wasn't working yesterday than obviously it could not have been that important to you."

"You are being so stubborn, you've always been like a brother to me and now here you are not telling me what is going on with you." Sonny wasn't sure what else to say. He had tried to get Jason to confide in him but nothing seemed to be working. It was like Sonny was just supposed to know what was going on with him.

"Sonny I should not have to tell you what yesterday was. It should have been just as important to you as it was to me if not more. We should have been celebrating a birthday not mourning a death." Jason stopped talking he could feel a lump forming in his throat already. Sam had been the only one that he talked to about Lila and now here he was explaining it to Sonny cause the man had no clue.

"Jason I don't have a …" Sonny's voice trailed off. He was finally realizing what he had forgotten. Yesterday would have been his daughter's birthday. The guilt washed over Sonny faster that the river water washes over the rocks. He had not thought about his daughter in a long time and now he was realizing that she was often on Jason's mind and he knew that she was always on Sam's mind despite the fact that he had not spoken to her in a very long time. Sonny's relationship with Sam could definitely be categorized as an affair and it had not ended well. After Sam got pregnant he had turned her away. It was like he had pawned her off on Jason and now here Jason was more upset about the death of his daughter than he was. Sonny did not know what to tell Jason. He could see in Jason's eyes that he was not feeling that pain that he was. He had loved his daughter but he had not known her the way that Jason did, he did not even hold her. Jason had been the only one to do that. At the time Sonny had hated the fact that he did not get to hold her but now it seemed fitting that it was Jason. He had always been Lila's Dad. There was a difference between a Dad and a father and Sonny could finally see that.

"I'm sorry that I didn't realize what was going on." Sonny said knowing that an apology was not going to cover up the fact that he had forgotten about Lila. Sonny and Jason had never agreed on how to handle the situation with Sam and the baby. When Sonny found out about Sam's pregnancy he was more concerned with what his wife thought than with what was best for his daughter. During her pregnancy Sam saw Sonny bounce from one side of the fence to the other. One moment he wanted to be Lila's father and the next he was more concerned about his marriage and Michael and Morgan. Sam had gotten over the fact that Sonny would not be there for her or their daughter. She had found Jason, a man who had more love in his heart that anyone she had ever known. Jason would have been the greatest father in the world and now Sonny could finally see that. All of their efforts had not paid off in the end anyway. He and Carly had tried to make their marriage work but they were just too much alike. They were both bull headed and fought all the time. They split knowing that it would be better for Michael and Morgan if their parents were not fighting all the time. Now Sonny did not even see his sons. After Carly had married Jax she completely cut ties from Sonny. Sonny on the other hand had married for completely different reasons. He had married Claudia Zacchara as part of a business deal but over the last year he had learned to like Claudia. He was fond of her and thought that maybe one day they might be part of marriage that was real.

Sonny now looked at Jason unsure of what to say. He knew that he had made a mistake in asking Jason to explain yesterday. Jason had not given him any details regarding yesterday but Sonny didn't need any. Jason was not one to talk about his feeling and Sonny was not going to pry any longer.

Jason turned around and left Sonny's office knowing that their conversation was over. This had not been a business related conversation and he had not enjoyed it at all. He immediately left the coffee house, he had work he needed to do alone. He also had thinking he needed to do and that was always best if done alone. Jason walked through town on his way to the warehouse to check in but felt like he was drifting somewhere else. Jason was not focused on work. He was thinking about Sam, he desperately needed to see her but did not know where to start looking for her. They had not had much time to talk before Carly barged in. Jason figured she would be staying with Alexis but had no intention to visit her home ever again. He decided a walk to the pier would be best he needed to clear his mind and that was always a great place to start, he also knew that it was one of her favorite spots and maybe she would be there.

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The pier had always been one of Sam's favorite places. She had always liked the water, it was calming and had a way of washing away all of the troubles of the day. Sam had gone back to Alexis' house after talking to Jason and spent the morning with her sisters. She had taken them to the zoo and made sure that the day was great for all of them. She did not want this visit to go badly because she was preoccupied. She wanted to give them everything that they wanted when she stepped of that plane.

When Jason rounded the corner and saw Sam sitting on the bench he was glad to see her. This may finally be the opportunity for them to talk and get everything out in the open. He sat down next to her and stared out at the water. He knew why she loved this place so much, it was a great way to relax and that was just what they needed.

"Sam I again want to say that I'm sorry. I didn't always know what you gave up to try and make our relationship work. But I know that now. I know how much you sacrificed for me and for your daughter."

"Jason we need to stop apologizing and talk about something else."Sam told him not knowing how he would react. She could often read Jason but lately she did not know what he was thinking. He seemed like a different man than when she left and it was a good kind of different.

"O.K. I think that I can do that. How have you been, was moving the right thing to do?"

"Yes, I went back to salvage work and that has been pretty good. I think that moving away from here gave me the time to fix my life. I was in a bad place when I left and now I have gotten past that." Sam had worked hard to get to where she was and she wasn't going to let Jason screw that up, not matter how much she wanted him too. They may not have had the most functional relationship but it worked for them.

"Good, I'm glad you doing well. Again I'm sorry for everything…" but Sam cut him off before he could continue.

"Jason, I don't know what else to say. I think we have both said our apologies and we need to move on." Sam said. She knew that getting involved with Jason would not be a good idea. Her heart was feeling the complete opposite but she fought that feeling.

"Sam, I still care about you and I don't want to hurt you. So if you think that not seeing each other would be best than I will stay away." Jason got up and left the pier. He did not want to leave but he wanted what was best for Sam and if that mean leaving her alone he would.

Sam sat there for what seemed like an eternity. She had just let the man she loved walk away and she didn't know why. Was not getting hurt more important than her happiness? She had looked back at her life and knew that she had made many mistakes and didn't want to make them again. Getting involved with Jason could lead to something that she could not handle. She wanted to be able look to the future and know what was going to happen, she wanted something predictable and that was not Jason. Sam got up and started to walk home. She wanted to spend the last few days of her visit forgetting everything that had happened. She would make sure that her sisters got all of her attention and then she would go home, well that wasn't true she would be leaving the one place she felt at home.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: A Stressed out Mother

Sam got back to Alexis' house and found Kristina and Molly playing together in the living. She went and sat down with her sisters relieved to spend time with them. Children always seemed to have a way of looking at the bright side of life, spending time with her sisters always made Sam feel better. She regretted the fact that she did not spend more time with them but was grateful for the little time she had during this visit. Alexis entered the living room and was shocked to see Sam sitting there.

"Sam, I didn't expect you back so early. I thought you were going for a walk." Alexis said in the interrogating tone she always had.

"I did go down to the pier, but…" Sam hesitated for a moment not sure what to tell her mother, she decided the less she told her was better. "I wanted to spend time here instead."

"O.K. Well we are glad that you are here, even if it is for a short time." Alexis said

Sam could tell that Alexis was hiding something from here. Alexis was a great lawyer but Sam could read people much better than her mother gave her credit for. She didn't want any tension between her and Alexis so she decided it would be best just to ask her mother what was on her mind. "Mom is there something that you want to talk to me about."

Alexis just stood there for a moment thinking of the best way to approach the subject of Jason Morgan. She had never liked that her daughter was involved with a mob enforcer but Sam was her own person and there was nothing she could do about it. Even though there breakup had caused Sam a lot of pain Alexis had been grateful for the day that they split, she thought it was best for her daughter not to be part of that world. Now that Sam was back she knew the subject of Jason would come up but she didn't think she would have heard about it from Jax. Alexis and Jax had always been good friends and they had spoken earlier that morning. Alexis had some business at the metro court and saw Jax when she was there.

"Jax mention that Carly saw you and Jason at Kelly's together."

"Yes, Jason and I had a lot of things we needed to discuss, but thanks to Carly that conversation didn't go as planned." Sam was not about to explain her conversation with Jason to her mother. Alexis would never understand how much she stilled cared for him and what it had meant to her being able to speak to him.

"You seem upset about that, I thought that you and Jason were over." Alexis said.

"We were, well we are, but we still had fences to mend before we could move on."

Alexis could tell that Sam was irritated with this conversation. Sam and Alexis were not always on the best of terms and she did not want their relationship to reverse track so she decided to drop the subject, for now. "Fine, if that's what you say is going on than O.K. but you know how I feel about Jason. He leads a dangerous life and is always on the wrong side of the law. You have been put in dangerous situations because of him before. It is because of him that you can't have children!"

"Mom I know how you feel. But don't talk about Jason like that. I took those risks because I loved him. It was my choice to make and I don't blame him for what happened and neither should you."

"I don't know why you are getting so defensive; you haven't been together in years. I thought that you would be over him by now. At least I hoped you would." Alexis said knowing deep down that this would upset Sam but she really wanted to get her point across.

"Mom, I'm not going to have this conversation right now. I wanted this vacation to be pleasant for Kristina and Molly and it won't be if you and I are fighting. Let's just drop it and talk about something else."

"Fine, Emily called early today and wanted to know if you would come out to Wyndemere and have dinner with her and Nikolas." Alexis said relaying the message she had received from her secretary.

"That's sounds like a good idea. I think I'll head out there early. Don't wait up." Sam left the house. She should have changed before she went to dinner but she did not want to spend one more minute in the house with Alexis. Emily wouldn't care what she was wearing so she headed off to the pier to catch the next launch to the island.

After Jason and Sam split she and Emily had remained close regardless of the fact that Emily was Jason's sister. There was no way of getting around seeing each other. Emily was married to Sam's cousin Nikolas. Emily had always been very nice to Sam and she Sam cherished the bond that they had formed over the years. Sam did regret the fact that she did not make it to their wedding. It had occurred shortly after Sam had left Port Charles and she could not bring herself to come back. Emily and Nikolas had understood and did not blame her for not being there. They knew that she needed time to heal and they would not interfere with that. Since then Emily and Sam had talked often, she had been one of the few friends she had in Port Charles that she remained close to.

Sam had always been able to tell anything to Emily and trust that it would be kept confident. Emily had been the rock that Sam leaned against while she was trying to rebuild her life. No matter what the circumstances Emily always reserved judgment and gave Sam the help she needed. Emily was the only one that Sam told about her lingering feelings for Jason. Sam thought this may have been weird considering that Emily was Jason's sister but she knew Emily would not say anything. Sam knew that she needed to talk to Emily and was glad that she had invited her to dinner. Even though Sam thought that Wyndemere was a dismal place she always knew that the people who lived there would be her family and she took comfort in that thought.

As Sam sat on the boat she was reminded of just how much she loved being on the water. It had only been a week since she had taken off from work to start her vacation and now here she was out on the water again wishing she had never left. That was part of the reason she loved Port Charles so much, she was always close to the water and had the ability to captain a boat whenever she felt like it. No matter what her day was like the water was always a great place to be and today it would be a welcome release from the stress she felt. The sun had begun to fall and it sparkled over top of the water. This was the most beautiful time of the day to be out on the water. It reminded Sam of the beauty in life. This was often the time that Sam felt the most at peace. She was able to look back on her life and remember the good and let the bad wash away. She had seen many sunsets from the deck of a boat but none compared to this one. It seemed like she was seeing the world in a new light because she was in Port Charles, everything seemed more beautiful when she felt at home.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Still Sisters

When Sam stepped off the boat she was amazed at how much Wyndemere hadn't changed. This place never seemed too change. She could feel the small stones crunch underneath her feet. Nikolas had been adamant about not putting in a paved path, he felt that it would take away from the little bit of charm that Wyndemere had. Nikolas had never completely liked Wyndemere but it was his family home and the things he did like he was not about to change. As she walked up the path she was stunned at how beautiful this place was even in the fall. The leaves had changed colors and graced the sky with the most beautiful shades of orange and red. She had forgotten how much she liked the fall and the changes that it brought. The south didn't get that change and spring didn't bring the breath of fresh new life that she so loved.

As she turned the last corner she had reached the house, well mansion is what it really was, but for Emily's sake she chose to call it a house. A house was also a home, mansion sounded to pretentious. She knocked on the door and knew that she had made the right choice in coming here early rather than dealing with Alexis any longer. She always felt at home here. She was met at the door by Alfred, Nikolas' butler. He was a sweet old man and had served the Cassadine family for many years. Sam adored how much Alfred cared for Nikolas and his family. She was amazed at how much he felt like family despite the fact that he was a house staff member.

"Ms. McCall, it is so nice to see you, please come in." Alfred said in the most sweet and caring way any man ever could.

"Hi Alfred, it's nice to see you too." Sam said.

"We did not expect you so soon. Emily is in the sitting room, I can show you in if you like." Alfred said ushering Sam through the first few hallways of the house.

"Thanks anyway Alfred, I want to surprise her, I know the way."

"Very well, is there anything else that you need Ms. McCall?" Alfred asked.

"No thanks." Sam said and headed to the sitting room. It wasn't the most pleasant room in the house but it was where Nikolas and Emily spent most of their time. The room was much like the living room of the average family except it was furnished in antiques and decorated with dismals statues and paintings. Emily had given up trying to redecorate, every time she tried something new it just didn't fit. This house was doomed to antiques and horrible paintings and she had learned to live with it.

As Sam stepped in to the room she could only see the back of Emily. She was sitting on the floor playing with Spencer. Nikolas and Emily had split for a time and he had had a son with another woman. Despite the fact that Spencer was not her son Emily was the greatest mother in the world. It amazed Sam just how much Emily loved Spencer; she could see that Emily and Jason were alike in that way. Family was not blood, family were the ones you love unconditionally.

The minute Spencer saw Sam he went running into her arms. They had spent summer vacations with Sam and she adored him as much as he adored her.

"Sam!" He yelled almost running over Emily in his desperate bid to reach Sam.

"Hi Spencer." Sam smiled as she hugged the little boy. She had missed him so much and it was great to be with family again.

"Hi Sam." Emily said as she approached the two of them. "It's great to see you but we didn't expect you so early."

"I know, but I needed to get away from my mother. She and I are not seeing eye to eye on a couple things right now." Sam said finally able to pull Spencer away from her. They had always joked that when he hugged anyone he was on the verge of cracking their ribs. Nikolas entered the room while in the middle of a conversation with a business associate.

"Duncan, I will have to call you back later." Nikolas said as he hung up the phone. "Sam it is so good to see you, I'm glad you could come." Nikolas went over and hugged Sam. It had been a long time since Sam felt so welcome in anyone's home. Even when she stayed with her mother she felt like a stranger. She was always worried about saying or doing the wrong thing in front of Alexis but when she was here she knew that no on e was going to judge her and she was free to be herself.

"Dinner is not quite ready so why don't we go for a walk." Emily told Sam. She could see that Sam needed someone to talk to and she was sure that Sam could confide in her. Emily had always felt like Sam was her sister. Things had not always been the same between Sam and Emily but they had long ago gotten past the bad things and now were as close as to women could be. They told each other everything and Sam definitely had some things that she needed to talk to Emily about.

As they started to walk around the grounds they remained silent. Emily was not sure what Sam wanted to talk about and she didn't want to pry but she could tell that something was bothering her.

"Sam what's wrong, you've been awfully quiet." Emily asked not sure what kind of answer she was going to get.

"I saw Jason."

"Wow, when did you see him?" Emily asked knowing that now that they had breached the topic of Jason this was going to be a very long walk.

"Right away when I got here. The first thing I wanted to do was go see Lila. It had been a long time since I had visited her and I wanted to make sure she was the first person I talked to. I hadn't expected to see anyone there and then he was there."

"Sam, Jason has always loved Lila, and it was her birthday."

"I Know I was just shocked that's all." Sam hesitated she did not know what else to say and then she remembered that there was something she needed to figure out. "Oh I wanted to ask you are you and Nikolas the ones who send the flowers to the cemetery?"

"No, but I know Alexis had mentioned that there were always flowers there. I do know that the flowers are always the same. Pink and white daisies I believe."

"What?" Sam said in shock. Those were the same flowers that Jason had brought with him the day he and Sam had visited Lila. Jason knew that daisies were one of Sam's favorite flowers. She had not realized that he cared so much. She now knew that he had been the one to make sure that Lila always had flowers.

"Did I say something wrong?" Emily asked not quite sure why Sam was so surprised.

"No, it's just that those were the same flowers that Jason had brought with him the morning I saw him"

"Sam, I know that you and Jason have had some hard times but he has always loved Lila and if he was the one that brought the flowers it was under the best intentions." Emily told Sam trying to make sure that Sam understood what she was saying.

"I know I was just shocked that he would do that. Jason has not always been the most open person when it comes to what he is feeling and that seems that a very emotional thing to do." Sam had known Jason a long time and it still amazed her that he could surprise her like that.

"Did you and Jason talk at all?" Emily asked.

"Not really, when we were with Lila we just kind of sat there. We did get together at Kelly's this morning but Carly showed up. We did get a little time to talk though. We got the chance to say all of our apologies but shortly after she showed up and I didn't want to fight with her."

" I don't blame you for that I haven't always gotten along with Carly either."

"Before I came here I saw Jason at the pier. We talked and I told him it was probably better that we not see each other." Sam told Emily not sure whether she would agree with her or not.

"Sam, why did you do that I know that you till care about him."

"I do but I don't think that Jason and I can ever be together again. I'm not sure that he could ever love me the way he once did."

"He may not love you the same as he did, he may love you more. I know what it is like to split with the man you love and then be brought back together. The more hard times that you have been through the more you love a person. You and Jason have been through enough bad stuff to last two lifetimes. Sam if you still love him you need to tell him and give it a try."

"I don't know. I just think it would be easier if I didn't see him."

"Easier is not always better." Emily told Sam. She knew deep down that Sam was still in love with Jason but she was not going to press the subject, right now at least. Emily had a unique take on the situation. She also knew that Jason still cared for Sam. She and Jason had always been very close and in the past few months Jason had confided in her the fact that he still had feelings for Sam. Now if only they could admit it to each other.

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	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: A Sisters Intervention

After returning from their walk Emily and Sam sat down at the dinner table with Spencer and Nikolas. They had not started eating yet but Sam could tell that Spencer was definitely getting hungry.

"Did you two have a good walk?" Nikolas asked obviously fishing for information that neither Sam nor Emily was willing to give.

"Good." Emily said giving Nikolas the look that he knew meant to drop it and mind his own business.

"Nikolas did you send the guest list for the hospital benefit to the metro court yet?" Emily asked.

"No I had planned on sending it by courier tomorrow, why?"

"There are a few changes I would like to make before you send it out."

"O.K." Nikolas said confused by his wife's question but not arguing either.

"Sam, do you have plans for Saturday night?" Emily asked.

"No, why?

"Well I am in charge of the hospital benefit this year and I think that you should come. It's going to be a lot of fun and you will get the chance to see everybody that you haven't seen since you left."

"I don't know. Some of the people in this town are not my biggest fans." Sam said unsure why Emily wanted her to come to a benefit that would surely be filled with people who hated her.

"I want you to come as one of my guests and if they don't like that they'll just have to deal with it."

"Alright, I guess I could come. I don't have anything to wear but I'm sure that I could find something." Sam still didn't know what Emily was trying to do but Sam did not have the heart to tell her no.

They continued their dinner with littler other excitement. Spencer did complain about having to eat his vegetable but what kid didn't. After thinking about it Sam was glad that Emily had invited her to the benefit. It would give her the chance to show everyone that she had changed. She wanted everyone to know that she had pulled herself together and was doing well in her life.

After dinner was over Sam decided to head back to Alexis' house. She knew that after speaking to Emily she would have an easier time dealing with Alexis. Emily always had a way of reassuring Sam that everything was going to be alright. Emily was her best friend and she was grateful for that. She had never had a better friend than Emily and she hoped that she would never lose their friendship either.

After Sam left Nikolas knew that Emily was up to something because she immediately reached for the phone. Nikolas could tell when Emily had a plan in mind because she got that look in her eyes that said she was determined and she always seemed to be in a hurry. Emily was pretty laid back most of the time, but not tonight. Tonight she had hatched a plan that she wasn't even going to explain to Nikolas. She knew that he would tell her to mind her own business. But this was her business she had spent years watching two of the people she loved the most tear themselves apart over what they had done and then not even admit that they still cared about each other when they obviously did.

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Jason had just walked through the door of his pent house when the phone rang. He rarely ever used the house phone and wondered who it could be calling. The minute he answered the phone and heard the woman's voice he knew who it was. Emily had always been one of the most cherished members of his family. After his accident she was one of the few people that he could count on not to expect him to be the perfect Quartermaine. Jason had talked to Emily often and spoke to her even more often than usual in the past few months. Since Spinelli had moved out of the pent house Jason had had more time to himself and he spent most of that time thinking. Jason thought about Sam often but an empty apartment made him even more prone to these thoughts. He had called Emily one night for advice and they spent hours talking. She always knew what to say to him to make him feel better. No matter what the situation she listened and did not tell him what to do. He loved that about her. That's why the conversation they were about to have would be a little unsettling.

"Jason, I need you to do something for me." Emily said in the most serious tone that she could muster.

"Emily you know that I would do anything for you, what do you need?" Jason said.

"I need you to come to the hospital benefit at the metro court Saturday night." Emily tried to keep her voice serious she knew if she broke even once during this conversation Jason would not come. He did not like parties and hated benefits even more.

"You know I hate those things, why is this one so important. They are the same every year; people eat expensive food, drink expensive booze and stare at each other all night long."

"Jason, I just need you to be there. This is the first year that I have been in charge and I need my big brother there." Emily didn't pull the baby sister card very often but this situation called for drastic measures.

"Alright, but I'm not staying long." When Emily really wanted something she knew how to get it. It took everything Jason had to tell her no, and when she pulled the baby sister card there was no way he could tell her no.

Emily hung up the phone and had the biggest smile on her face. Nikolas didn't know what to think. Obviously this plan of hers was important and was working because she looked ecstatic.

"What are you up to?" Nikolas asked knowing he probably wouldn't get an answer.

"Nothing." Emily said. She leaned over Nikolas' shoulder and pulled out the guest list for the benefit. At the bottom of the page she added to more names, Jason Morgan and Samantha McCall.

"You didn't!" Nikolas said in shock.

"I did and there is nothing you can do to stop it." Emily knew that they needed to see each other and even if Nikolas thought it was none of her business she didn't care. She was sick of watching Sam and Jason beat themselves up when they clearly were still in love with each other.

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	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Heated Words

When Sam awoke the next morning she felt much better than she had the last two days. The discussion she had with Emily really helped her put things into perspective. She may not have taken all of Emily's advice but she did like the idea of attending the benefit this weekend. The only problem was she had nothing to wear. She had not brought formal attire with her on this trip and definitely did not know where to begin looking for some. She decided to call Emily and ask here where the best place to shop would be.

"Hello" Emily said as she answered the phone.

"Hey Emily its Sam. I have a quick question, where can I find something to wear to this benefit?"

"Well Lulu works for Crimson, the new fashion magazine based here in town and I'm sure she could find you something. I'll give her a call and let her know that you are coming."

"Thanks that would be great. Where are their offices?" Sam asked hoping they wouldn't be somewhere where she might run into Jason.

"The Metro court." Emily said. "You just head over there, I'm sure Lulu will be happy to see you." Emily said and hung up the phone.

Sam knew she would not see Jason at the metro court but was afraid that she would run into Carly. Carly and Jax owned the metro court and she wasn't sure if they would want her there. She thought Jax would not care but when it came to Carly she was concerned. She was even more concerned that the event she was shopping for was at the Metro court and Carly was bound to be there.

Sam approached the front doors of the metro court with hesitation but then decided she was not going to let Carly ruin this day for her she was going shopping and was going to enjoy it. Carly no longer had the power to ruin her day. When Sam entered the lobby Jax was standing there and greeted her kindly.

"Sam McCall, it has been a long time." Jax said as he approached Sam and shook her hand.

"Yes it has, how are you?" Sam asked trying to keep the conversation polite but short all at the same time.

"Fine, you?" Jax replied.

"Good, I'm just here to see Lulu; she's going to help me find something to wear to the benefit on Saturday." Sam said with confidence.

"Oh, I didn't realize that you would be there." Jax said unsure of why Sam would be attending a benefit for the Hospital.

"Yes, Emily invited me. Well Jax I really need to get going, Lulu is expecting me." Sam said heading toward the elevator.

"Well it was good to see you, and we'll see you Saturday."

The minute the elevator doors opened Sam could feel the tension in the room escalate. Carly was stepping out of the elevator and giving Sam the nastiest look that she could come up with.

"What are you doing here?" Carly asked snidely.

"I am just here to see Lulu. Carly I don't want any trouble." Sam said trying to keep the drama to a minimum.

"Fine, but as soon as you are done here I want you out of my hotel." Carly sniped at Sam.

"I'll leave but I will be here Saturday." Sam said knowing it would tick Carly off.

"Don't tell me, you were invited to the benefit."

"Yes, Emily invited me and I promised her that I would be there."

"Fine, I would do anything about it because it is for a good cause but if you cause any trouble I won't hesitate to kick you out."

"Goodbye Carly." Sam said as the elevator doors closed. When she walked into the metro court she had hoped not to see Carly but now that she had it made her feel even better. She knew that she could put Carly in her place any day and just had. She didn't want trouble but when it came to Carly trouble just came looking for her.

Sam had just finished shopping with Lulu and thought she had found the perfect dress. It looked great on her and was an original so there was no way that anyone else would be wearing the same thing. She was now looking forward to the benefit. She hadn't been to a good party in a long time and thought that it would be fun, despite the fact that Carly would be there. Sam had talked to her mother earlier that morning and knew that Alexis would also be there. It seemed like the whole town had been invited. That was fitting though considering the benefit was for the hospital. Sam thought that before she headed back to her mother's she would stop by Kelly's and have some dinner. She hadn't seen Mike yet and was really looking forward to seeing him. Mike, Sonny's father, had always been very kind to her and she wanted to make sure that he knew she had not forgotten that.

When she walked into Kelly's she had expected to see people eating but there were very few people there. She was thankful for that. She did not want to cause any trouble for anyone there. Nikolas and Emily were sitting at a table looking a little stressed out. Sam went over and asked them what was going on. It so happened that Nikolas' brother Lucky and his wife Elizabeth had called and asked to have dinner with them. These four had once been the best of friends but things had gone downhill in the past three years. Nikolas and Lucky were still friends, the problem was between Emily and Elizabeth. Elizabeth did not like the fact that Emily and Sam had become best friends. That was once Elizabeth's spot and she did not like the fact that Sam was not part of Emily's life. Sam knew that she had caused problems between Elizabeth and Emily but Emily had assured that she should not worry about it. She and Elizabeth would eventually find a way to work things out, but Elizabeth would have to take the first step.

Just as Sam got up to go over and speak to Mike Elizabeth and Lucky walked in. The tension in the room climbed faster than anyone could ever have imagined. Elizabeth had never wanted to see Sam again and now here she was in the same dinner as her. Sam decided to excuse herself and let these four speak to each other alone. She left Kelly's and headed back to her mother's.

"Why did no one tell us that she was back in town?" Lucky asked Nikolas.

"We wanted to tell you in person and thought that this would be a good opportunity, we also wanted to let you know that she will be attending the benefit this weekend." Nikolas said hoping that they could avoid any confrontation between Emily and Elizabeth.

"Well fine then, we will not be attending." Elizabeth said.

"Elizabeth, It's been a long time since Sam was here and I think we all need to get past what happened and move on with our lives. Holding on to all this anger is only making your own life worse." Emily told Elizabeth hoping that she would take her advice.

"We'll come to the benefit because it is for the hospital but I better not have to talk to her. And I want you to know that there is no way I will ever forgive that woman, no matter how close the two of you are." With that Elizabeth and Lucky left Kelly's.

It had been a long time since Elizabeth and Emily had spoken and it was as if they were choosing sides in a battle that was about to happen. Emily knew that sparks may fly on Saturday but what was good for Elizabeth was not what was good for her brother and her best friend. She had made her choice and Elizabeth would have to deal with it.

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	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Starry Nights

Jason had gotten home from work Saturday exhausted but knew that he would have to attend the benefit. He had promised Emily he would be there and he was not about to let his little sister down. He went up stairs to change. When he came downstairs dressed about to leave he heard a knock at the door. He opened the door to see Emily standing there. She had never showed up like this before, it was like she was checking up on him.

"Emily, I was just leaving, what are you doing here?" Jason asked.

"Making sure that you were still coming. That's not what your wearing is it?" Emily looked at him and knew that what he was wearing would not do. He had put on black dress pants and a pale blue shirt. He looked fine but there was no way that this get up was going to have the effect that she was hoping for. "Jason this is a black tie event go up and put on a suit." She told him.

"Do you want me there or not?" Jason asked her, obviously annoyed.

"Yes but they won't even let you in the door looking like that. I'm sure you have a good suit in your closet. Now I'm leaving but when I see you it better be in different clothing." Emily said as she walked out the door. Jason had never enjoyed being told what to do but he was not going to argue. Maybe if he did what she asked he wouldn't have to stay at this event very long. He went upstairs and pulled his black suit out of his closet. He hadn't worn the thing in a long time, but knew that it still looked good. Jason changed and headed out the door hoping that tonight would be uneventful.

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The metro court had been decorated to look like a beautiful fall night. The lights were dim but candles were at every table and small white lights twinkled on the ceiling like the stars in the night sky. The tables had all been moved to the edges of the room to reveal a large dance floor. Music softly played in the background as the guests began to arrive. Emily hoped that tonight would be successful for both the hospital and her family.

Jason walked into the room and he had done as Emily asked. He looked great in his suit and she knew that Sam would think so too. Now if only Sam was here. Almost all of the guests had arrived but still no Sam. She hoped that she had not changed her mind about coming. Maybe she should call her she thought, but just as she went to grab her phone it seemed like time stopped and Sam entered the room. She looked gorgeous in the candle light. She was wearing a little black dress that showed of every great feature she had. Her dress seemed to sparkle in the candle light and caught everyone's attention. But the most important thing was the look that Jason had in his eyes. Emily could see that he was thinking about how beautiful she looked. Now if only he would do something about it.

Just then Jason stepped out from the crowd and approached Sam. "Would you like to dance?" he asked knowing that she would be speechless. Jason had never been a big dancer but when it came to Sam he would do anything. He grabbed Sam's hand and pulled her out onto the dance floor. The band began to play the most beautiful music they had heard in a long time. As they slowly danced around the room everyone stood and watched. But Sam and Jason didn't notice to them it was as if they were the only ones in the room. Time was standing still so that they could be here in this moment with each other.

"You look beautiful." Jason softly whispered into Sam's ear.

They continued to dance and slowly others took to the dance floor with them. They were now part of a crowd of people and the attention was not directly on them. The song finished and everyone stopped dancing. Sam slowly pulled away from Jason but still remained in his arms.

"Let's go outside and talk." Jason suggested as he led her off the dance floor and out to the terrace.

"I was wrong." Sam said

"About what?"

"Staying away from you. I can't do this anymore. I have been tearing myself apart for years, Jason I still love you."

Immediately Jason pulled Sam into his arms and kissed her. It was the most passionate kiss either one had felt in years so they did not want it to end. As they pulled away and looked into each other's eyes they knew that this was where they were meant to be.

Jason looked into Sam's eyes and began to speak. "Sam I love you too, truthfully I never stopped. I want you in my life and I don't care what everyone else thinks."

Sam smiled and kissed Jason again. It was as if they had finally found each other again. It had taken them three years but they finally were the couple they once were. The stood there in each other's arms for what felt like an eternity. The people in side were still staring at them but they didn't care. They were the only two important people at this moment.

"Oh My God, What are you doing Jase?" The minute Jason heard that voice he knew who it was. Only Carly had the ability to ruin a moment like this. Sam and Jason both turned to look at Carly and all they could do was laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Carly yelled from across the room.

"Carly, stop. This is none of your business." Jason told her knowing that it probably wouldn't work but it was worth a try.

"Yes it is, you're my best friend and I am not going to let you ruin your life with this slut."

"Carly I don't have to listen to this. Jason let's go." Sam told Carly as she and Jason left the terrace and entered the room. They walked over to Emily and Nikolas. Emily looked happier at this moment that she had all day. Sam and Jason finally understood why she wanted them both here tonight; this had been a set up. Normally they would have hated this but a set up is just what they needed. Emily had the ability to look at both of them and understand what they needed.

"Emily, we're going to leave, I hope the rest of your night is good." Jason told Emily knowing that his presence was no longer an issue.

"Alright, you guys have a great night. Sam I'll call you tomorrow." Emily said with a smile on her face that stretched from ear to ear.

As Jason and Sam left the metro court they could feel the tension lift from their shoulders. They had both spent three years fighting what they were feeling and now they were here tonight, together and they were happier than they had been in a long time. As they walked through the park the night air felt wonderful, due to the benefit there were very few other people out tonight and the silence was serene. There were clouds in the sky but the stars peeked out from behind them. Sam looked up at the night sky and it was as if the stars were shining brighter tonight that they had in a long time. Sam leaned in and walked right next to Jason leaning in so close that she felt like they was no way anything could get between them. All of a sudden the clouds in the sky burst open and rain came pouring down on top of them. The few other people who were in the park ran to get out of the rain, but Jason and Sam just stood there. Sam had always loved the rain and this moment brought back many great memories for both of them.

Sam looked deep into Jason's eyes and whispered "Dance with me."

"Always" he said and they held tight to each other as the rain poured down on them. They danced to the music that only they heard, the music that resounded deep within their souls. This was there moment and they would savor if forever.

The rain stopped and Jason and Sam continued to walk, they did not have a designated destination but when they ended up at Jason's building Sam was not disappointed. Jason walked up and opened the door for Sam beckoning her in. They rode up the elevator in each other's arms toward Jason's pent house. This was a journey Sam had not taken in a long time but was glad she was taking it tonight. She needed Jason and he needed her and they had finally admitted it to each other. They entered the apartment and Sam knew that this would be a night to remember.

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	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Newfound Promises

Sam awoke the next morning and was happier than she had been in a long time. She felt safe and comfortable in Jason's arms. This is where she was meant to be. As she looked at the night stand next to the bed she was in shock. Last night what was once an empty table was now something all together different. There sparkling under the sunlight was her necklace. When Jason and Sam split she gave back both her necklace and her engagement ring. She could not bear to have any memories of their time together in her life. Now her it was laying in front of her, she could not believe that Jason had kept it all this time. She shook him awake wondering when he had gotten up to get it. He obviously wanted her to see it when she woke up he had placed on her side of the bed.

"When did you…?" Sam asked

"This morning right before you woke up. I was hoping you would want it back." Jason said.

"On one condition, you have to put it on me." Sam said with a smile on her face.

"As long as you promise not to take it off."

"Never." Sam said.

Jason reached over Sam and grabbed the necklace. He undid the clasp and placed it around her neck as she pulled her hair to the side he couldn't believe that he was here with Sam. It was all so great he never wanted it to end. Sam turned around to face him, all she was wearing was her necklace and he couldn't believe how beautiful she looked.

"Promise me something." He said as he looked deep into her eyes.

"Anything."

"Don't leave, stay here in port Charles with me." He said hoping that she would stay.

"Forever."

**8 Weeks Later**

Sam was now standing in the bathroom waiting for something she never thought she would. After being shot they told her she would never have children and now here she was waiting for a pregnancy test. She hadn't told anyone she thought she might be pregnant. She didn't even want to believe it herself. It was still early in the morning and she knew Jason wouldn't be back until late. She knew that if she wasn't pregnant she would have time to get rid of the test and if she was she would have time to figure out how she was going to tell hm.

Jason walked in the door of the apartment and didn't see Sam anywhere. He had told her that he was working but he took the day off to plan a dinner for her. It had been two months since she had decided to move back to Port Charles and he wanted tonight to be special. He wanted to make sure that she never left their apartment again, he had her ring in his pocket and hoped that she would take that back the same way she accepted the necklace. Jason set the bag of groceries down on the desk but noticed it wasn't the only shopping bag left on the desk. There sitting next to Sam's keys was a bag from the pharmacy and next to it was the box to a pregnancy test. Jason wasn't sure what to think, every doctor they had visited had told them this couldn't happen.

Sam walked down the stairs still staring at the test, positive, she couldn't believe what she was looking at. Then as she looked up she saw Jason standing there holding the empty box. They just looked at each other for a moment until Jason finally spoke.

"Are you…?"

"Yes."


End file.
